Charles Omole faults indefinite flight ban on Comfort Emmanson, citing lack of legal basis and due process.
He warns the decision breaches rights and risks setting a dangerous precedent for civil liberties.
Nigerian jurist Charles Omole has criticized the Federal Government’s move to impose an indefinite flight ban on Comfort Emmanson, the passenger accused of unruly behavior aboard an Ibom Air flight, warning that such action lacks legal backing and violates due process.
His reaction follows a statement by the Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Management, Festus Keyamo, confirming that the Nigeria Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) had placed Emmanson on an indefinite ban from both domestic and international flights.
In a post on his X account, Omole argued that neither an airline nor the aviation ministry has the lawful authority to enforce such a sweeping ban without clear statutory provisions and adherence to proper legal procedures. He stated that the move could be interpreted as a breach of Emmanson’s constitutional rights and would be subject to challenge in court.
“An indefinite flight ban imposed without a valid law and due process is not lawful,” Omole wrote, warning that the decision could set a dangerous precedent for civil liberties. He stressed that penalties, especially those with indefinite or lifetime consequences, must be grounded in existing laws and implemented only after a fair hearing.
